When Megan Evans graduated from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications in 2018 she set out to be a voice for the voiceless, but her storytelling talents soon led her down a different path.

For a first-generation college student, attending the University of South Carolina was a dream come true. From a young age, she loved reading, writing and sharing positive stories. She channeled those interests by studying journalism and helping people’s stories come to life.   

Eager to join the workforce after college, Evans worked in communications for Midlands Technical College and Harvest Hope Food Bank. At Harvest Hope, she felt inspired after seeing how she could make a direct positive impact on her community. 

“At the food bank, I saw adults and elderly people who weren’t literate,” she said. “Knowing those people were out there, I decided that I can make more of an impact working in a school library and showing kids how exciting it can be to read a book.”

So Evans headed back to USC, but this time to pursue the career she had dreamed of as a kid. In 2023, she graduated with a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the iSchool and began her new career as a librarian at Eau Claire High School.

When Eau Claire lost three students to gun violence within the first two months of the school year, Evans  worked to transform the library into a safe gathering space for students.   

“The library became a place where students could come and grieve,” Evans said. “Being able to have this space in the library really made a difference.” 

Eau Claire students use the library in their free time or visit as a reward for completing their work. Evans introduces them to new books, allows them to play games or listens to them when they need someone to talk to. She believes the best part of her job is building relationships and sneaking in opportunities for students to read when they least expect it. 

“A lot of our students face hardships or work to provide for their families,” Evans said. “So, I’m able to have them come in here and hand them a book that gives them an escape from reality. Being able to share that with them is the biggest joy of this job.”